Every Great Story Starts With Three Simple Ingredients

The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle – Issue #02

Hi,

Here is your second edition of The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle.

This past week has been a bittersweet one for me. A few days ago, in the early hours of the morning, I woke to find that my dog—who has shared so many seasons of life with me—had suffered a stroke.

I rushed him to the emergency vet and we learnt that he has cancer, which indirectly caused the stroke, and his time with us is limited. To my amazement and joy, he was able to come home and the side effects of the stroke are improving every day.

Moments like these remind you of what truly matters and to cherish the time you have to love, to live, to grow. I have a renewed sense of gratitude for the little moments we often take for granted.

Challenges, no matter how painful, are part of any meaningful journey. And that brings me to today’s topic…

Everyone overcomes challenges in life.

Every week, I am inspired by authors pushing themselves out of their comfort zone and doing things that scare them, as they work towards their goals. Hearing someone say, “I was so scared to do this, but now I’ve done it and know I can do it again, and better!” is one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.

What I think many authors don’t realise is that your journey parallels the key ingredients for a successful children’s book plot.

• You have a desire to write and share your story with the world.
• Once you embark on the journey to make that happen, you inevitably encounter obstacles that cause conflict as you pursue your goal.
• With persistence, learning, and growth, there’s a satisfying resolution—a moment of accomplishment that makes it all worthwhile.

Desire, Conflict, Resolution

At the heart of every unforgettable children’s book lies a story that moves readers. Whether it’s a laugh-out-loud story or a story that tugs at the heartstrings, the secret is this: Desire, Conflict, and Resolution.

Today, let’s look at these three pillars and explore how you can use them to write stories that captivate kids and keep them turning the page.

1. Desire: What Does Your Character Want?

Every story begins with a character’s desire—a goal that drives the plot.

• Why it matters: If your character doesn’t care about their goal, neither will your readers. Kids connect with characters who want something relatable, like finding a lost toy (Knuffle Bunny) or seeking adventure (Where the Wild Things Are).
• Keep it visual: Kids think in pictures, so their desires should be something you can illustrate. Instead of “feeling lonely,” a character might say, “I want someone to play with.”

Action Step: Ask yourself: What does your character want, and why will young readers care?

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2. Conflict: What’s Standing in Their Way?

No goal is worth pursuing without challenges to overcome.

• Why it matters: Conflict creates tension and keeps readers engaged. A story where everything goes smoothly is boring.
• The four types of conflict are:
  1. Character vs. Character: Mia wants to take her favorite stuffed animal to school, but her older brother keeps hiding it from her.
  2. Character vs. Environment: A curious fox wants to explore the meadow, but thick fog makes it hard to find the way.
  3. Character vs. Circumstances: Sam’s kite gets stuck in a tree, and he must figure out how to get it down before the wind carries it away.
  4. Character vs. Themselves: Lily dreams of entering the school art contest but is afraid her drawing won’t be good enough.
• Make it meaningful: Obstacles should feel significant to the character. If a problem is solved too easily, readers won’t be invested.

Action Step: Think about your character’s biggest obstacle. How can you make it more challenging or interesting?

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3. Resolution: How Does Your Character Solve the Problem?

The most satisfying endings happen when characters solve their problems themselves.

• Why it matters: Kids love seeing characters take action and succeed—it’s empowering! While a mentor or helper can guide them, the main character should ultimately work out the solution for themselves.
• Show growth: The resolution is also an opportunity to show how your character has changed. A shy child might find the courage to ask someone to play, or a stubborn character might learn the value of teamwork.

Action Step: Ensure your story’s resolution feels earned. How has your character grown through their journey?

Pro Tip: Combine External and Internal Journey

While the external plot (desire, conflict, and resolution) keeps the story moving, don’t forget the internal journey. Your character should experience emotional growth alongside their actions. For instance, in Where the Wild Things Are, Max learns to appreciate home and family.

Start with the Character, Not the Plot

Character illustrations by GetYourBookIllustrations for Sisters on Adventure New Zealand by Shawn Kekovich, Bibi Saves the Honey Bees by Judith A. Ewa, and Hunting Orange: A Mixing Colour Adventure by Moza A. Himid

Often, authors think about the plot first—developing your inciting incident (the event that sets the story/action in motion), conflict, and resolution before anything else. But starting with the plot often leads to a story that feels hollow or mechanical.

Instead, I believe the most memorable and engaging stories begin with character-first writing.

Why? Because readers connect with characters, not events. If your main character is relatable and emotionally engaging, the plot will naturally grow out of their desires, conflicts, and actions.

So, do the following:

1. Define your character’s desire: What do they want (in this story)? Ensure their desire is relatable to kids, and something the character and reader will care about enough to get invested. This will drive the story forward.
2. Identify their quirks and personality: What makes your character who they are? Are they shy, adventurous, clumsy, or curious? These traits will influence how they respond to challenges, e.g., will they rush in, tackling things head-on, or will they hesitate or try to avoid conflict? Will they think more, talk more, or do more? And so on.
3. Work out: How will your character drive the plot forward? This relates back to the first two points. If your character has a strong desire, they will go towards it, and their personality will determine how they go towards it. Their personality will also determine any internal struggles they will encounter. For instance, your plot may be driven by a character’s shyness and that could cause all the conflict. You can also introduce external obstacles for the character to overcome, always keeping in mind that their personality will determine how they will approach these.
   Work out, with desire and personality as your foundation, what your plot will be and how your story will be driven by your character’s actions, from the inciting incident, through the rising action to the climax, falling action and resolution.
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So, we have:

1. the desire driving the character (and plot) forward.
2. the character’s personality determining their actions, and thus how the story progresses.
3. putting those two together to determine your plot.

Example: Instead of starting with a plot idea like, “a child loses their kite,” begin with a character: a curious and inventive child who loves solving problems. This character could create a series of contraptions to retrieve the kite, but because they’re overcomplicating it, it keeps backfiring. The plot (losing the kite and trying to get it back) naturally develops from their personality, and the resolution (realizing that sometimes simple solutions work best) arises from their growth as a character.

Takeaway: When you start with a strong character, it’s easier to write the story and your story will have more believability and depth. Focus on who your character is, what they want, and how they’ll grow—and let the plot follow their lead.

Real Examples

In Where the Wild Things Are, the plot is driven by Max’s adventurous spirit and his desire to break free from restrictions. His spirited and imaginative nature leads him to “leave” home and embark on an adventure. The plot follows Max’s lead, with his boldness shaping the events, and the resolution comes from Max’s internal growth, as he realizes that being loved and cared for is more important than being king of the wild things.

In The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, the plot is driven forward by the caterpillar’s almost insatiable hunger, leading to a resolution of becoming a butterfly.

Over to You!

What’s your character’s greatest desire—and what’s standing in their way? I’d love to hear about your story! In the comments, tell me about your main character’s biggest challenge.

Even if the journey feels tough right now, remember: just like in a children’s story, the most satisfying endings come when the protagonist faces their challenges head-on and keeps going.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the first edition of The KidLit Creator’s Chronicle! Stay tuned for next week’s edition, where we’ll go over how to create a writing schedule that works for you.

P.S. If you found this helpful, forward it to a fellow KidLit creator—they’ll thank you for it!